The Shadow Chaser (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 1)

by Dylan Birtolo

  “Darien Yost? I’m Lieutenant Michael Olson.” Darien shook hands and felt like his was being crushed in a vice. He contained a wince. “If it’s not a bother, I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes.”

  “Sure.”

  Olson led Darien down the corridor past several offices. He stopped in front of an office with no name on the door, and gestured for Darien to go inside. The room beyond had a single desk with a couple of manila folders resting in the center of it. Two chairs occupied the room, one on either side of the desk. Olson walked around the desk and pointed to the other chair as he eased into his seat. It creaked in protest as he settled his weight into the leather. Without saying a word, Olson took the folder on top into his lap and began flipping through the papers contained inside. Each rustle of paper made Darien squirm a bit more.

  After a few seconds of silence, Darien spoke up. “Mr. Olson, can you tell me what this is about? I have no idea. I just got your message and came down right away to see what the heck is going on.”

  “Relax. You didn’t do anything wrong, at least not that I know of.” Tension oozed from Darien’s shoulders and he slumped into the chair.

  “As I said on the phone, I work for the State Department and need to ask you some routine questions. I hope you understand that what we’re about to talk about is strictly confidential and under no circumstances are you to talk about this with anyone outside of this office. Are we clear?”

  Darien hesitated before shrugging one shoulder. “Okay.”

  “Have you been experiencing any unusual health symptoms?”

  “Actually, I have. Today, only a few hours ago, I passed out in my room and when I woke up I felt like I’d been drinking the entire night before.”

  “Interesting.” The lieutenant jotted a few notes down. “Can you tell me exactly what you remember? It could help.”

  “I work at Mutual Investments, in the software department. We have a corporate gala event this evening, so we were given a half-day. I went home, ate some lunch, and then was on the phone with my father until about 3:30. The next thing I knew, I passed out. When I woke up, it was about 5:30.”

  Olson scribbled a few more notes. “How did you feel when you woke up?”

  “Well, my head was throbbing so hard that it felt like it was going to split. I was nauseous, and couldn’t stand up at first. I thought I had a migraine, but it wore off way too quickly for that. When it did, I felt like I was starving.” Darien watched Olson continue to take notes. When the older man stopped scribbling, Darien spoke again. “Am I sick? Is there something wrong with me?”

  Olson shook his head and offered a smile that did not reach his eyes. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about at this point. But, I do want you to call me if any of these symptoms return. I’ll give you my personal cell number. It’s very important you call me right away.” He took a card out of his pocket and slid it across the table to Darien.

  Darien picked it up. It had Lieutenant M. Olson written on the front with a phone number and email address in the bottom corner.

  “Lieutenant Olson, sir? You still haven’t said what’s going on.”

  “That’s classified. Rest assured, you are not in any danger. This is merely a precautionary measure.”

  “Precautionary from what?”

  “Classified information means I’m not at liberty to discuss such matters.”

  “Security of the nation and all that?” Darien said it with a smile, attempting to lighten the mood. When the other man didn’t react and just continued to stare, Darien stood and offered his hand. “If that’s all, I should probably get going.”

  Lieutenant Olson stood to offer his hand in response. As he did, he put the folder on the table and closed it, but not before Darien got a glimpse of the contents. He saw a brief flash of some type of medical record and a few pictures. The one on top had him outside the door of his apartment. Darien snapped his gaze up to the lieutenant’s stare.

  “Again, it’s very important that you call me if the symptoms return. Have a good day, Mister Yost.”

  Chapter 2

  The night air prickled Darien’s skin as he stepped out of the police department and walked down the street. A bitter wind picked up and cut through his light jacket, forcing him to hold it closed. He jogged to his car and slid inside, slamming the door shut. Sheltered from the wind, he no longer felt the biting chill. He sat for a moment, chewing on his bottom lip and trying to absorb the last several hours.

  The car roared to life with an odd rumble that he felt as much as heard. He really should get his car looked at when he had the time. Darien drove south, leaving downtown and heading away from his apartment. His mind turned over the possibilities of what else might be in that file and why Lieutenant Olson was interested in him. Before he realized it, Darien found himself turning down the street to Susan’s apartment complex. He parked in the first spot he could find and made his way to the lobby entrance. He punched a three digit code into the door access system without paging through the residents list. It rang a couple of times before Susan answered.

  Her voice crackled through heavy static. “Yes?”

  “Suz? It’s me, Darien. Can I come up for a few?”

  “Sure. Hang on a sec.”

  A loud buzzing filled the entryway, accompanied by a resounding click. Darien pulled the door open and walked in. The main floor was empty except for Mark, the security guard sitting at his desk. He was a muscular man who looked too large for the small office chair. His arms were almost as thick as Darien’s legs, but his body was showing signs of his age. It was clear that he wasn’t as much of a regular at the gym as he used to be. But he still was an imposing figure who made people feel safe with his presence alone. He was older than Darien by several years, but they had a mutual passion for video games that formed a solid foundation for their friendship.

  “Evening. Tell Susan I said hi.”

  “Will do.” Darien made his way to the elevators just past the desk.

  “We still on for Call of Duty this weekend?” Darien could hear the smile and eagerness in Mark’s voice.

  “I’ll get back to you on that. If I wind up playing, I’ll text you.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Mark went back to his book as Darien got on the elevator and pushed the button for the sixteenth floor. Once he was on the right floor, Darien wandered through the corridors until he came to Susan’s apartment. It was decorated for Halloween with a skeleton plastered on the door and cobwebs strung over the corners of the frame. Even from the hallway, Darien could pick up the scent of apple cinnamon. He knocked on the door and flinched as a toy spider dropped from the ceiling a few inches from his face. Susan jerked the door open as the spider crawled back up to the ceiling.

  Susan was dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue sweater. As usual, her long blond hair was pulled back into a braid that reached the middle of her back. She stepped into the hallway and pulled Darien into a tight hug that lifted him to his toes. He couldn’t help but return the embrace.

  “Hey! Come in. Excuse the mess.”

  Darien walked into her place and kicked off his shoes, tossing them into the pile of running shoes heaped next to the door. Susan had at least three different pairs of regular running shoes, and that didn’t include the ones specifically for running on a track or the pairs for cross country trails. He could never tell the difference, but accepted it was one of her quirks.

  He walked into the living room and made his way to the couch directly across from the door. There was a coffee table just beyond it, resting in front of a set of glass doors looking out on the darkening horizon. A thick novel, something that Darien had never heard of, sat next to a pair of lit scented candles. They were the source of the odor he detected in the hallway. Susan’s television sat in the corner, covered in a visible layer of dust.

  To his left, Susan walked past the dining room table and entered the tiny kitchen. He knew from experience there wasn’t enough room
for two people to cook in the kitchen at once, but Susan seemed to enjoy her small space. Instead of following her, he cleared some pillows off the edge of the couch and sat down.

  “Do you want anything to eat or drink?”

  “Anything you have to eat would be great. I’m starving.”

  “What else is new?” Susan laughed. “How about some pasta? I made it last night.”

  “Works for me.”

  “So what brings you here on a Friday night? I thought you had your big company party tonight.”

  Darien grimaced. “Well, I was supposed to go, but it didn’t work out. Ellen’s kind of pissed at me right now about that.”

  “I can imagine. It’s the first big shindig you’ve had since she started working there, isn’t it? I’m surprised you got away without any injuries.”

  The microwave beeped as Susan programmed it to reheat the pasta. Darien sat in silence, having nothing to offer as way of reply. For a moment he forgot about his own concerns as he thought about Ellen heading to the gala without him. The timer on the microwave brought him back to the present. He glanced in the direction of the kitchen to see Susan coming in with a steaming bowl and two plates. She put it all on the coffee table and Darien moved his feet. His mouth salivated as the aroma of the food reached him. The pasta was coated in a thick cream sauce with just a hint of nutmeg, enough to add a kick of flavor.

  “I haven’t eaten yet, so I thought I’d join you. What do you want to drink?”

  “Water works.”

  By the time she fetched a pair of water glasses, Darien was already scooping some of the pasta onto Susan’s plate. She sat down next to him and traded one of the glasses for the food. She leaned back into the couch and took a couple of bites before she spoke.

  “What’s going on? Something’s bugging you and I don’t think it’s just that you missed out on the gala.”

  Darien paused halfway in the process of bringing a forkful of noodles to his mouth. He placed it back on his plate and looked up at Susan.

  “I’m not sure what’s going on.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  Susan opened her mouth to reply, but shut it when she saw the look on Darien’s face. “You’re serious aren’t you?”

  Darien nodded. He resumed eating, but without the exuberance he had shown before. Susan put her plate back on the table. She leaned back into the couch and stared at Darien.

  “It’s complicated. Well, not really, but that’s a good a reason as any I suppose.” He paused, but continued as Susan continued to stare. “And I guess, that’s kinda why I’m here, I think. I mean, I can trust you, right? If I ask you not to tell anyone, you’ll keep it between us?”

  “Do you really need to ask that?”

  Darien took a deep breath and collapsed into the cushions of the couch. “I passed out again, and I can’t remember what happened. The headaches are getting worse too. I’m beginning to think that there might be something seriously wrong with me.

  “And then to make things worse, I get this weird message on my phone that this Lieutenant Olson guy wants to talk to me at the police station. He had this folder with a couple of pictures of me that I don’t remember anyone taking and what looked like a medical report. He seemed interested in my blackout episodes, but wouldn’t tell me anything about what was going on. He just gave me his card and told me to call if I have another episode.”

  He pulled the card out of his pocket and handed it over. Susan checked both sides of it and then handed it back. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

  “That’s just creepy. You don’t call someone down to the police station just to ask them how they’re feeling. It sounds like you’re what he’s interested in and he just wanted an excuse to see you in person.”

  Darien pushed himself up from the couch and grabbed both plates, carrying them into the kitchen. “Exactly. Anyways, I just don’t want to go home right now. That picture was taken right outside my apartment. So I came here.”

  “I can understand. You’re welcome to stay here for a few days if you just want to get away. My couch is always open, and Oscar likes you well enough.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that. Where is Oscar? I haven’t seen him yet.”

  “I’d bet dozing on my bed like usual.”

  Darien finished with the dishes and made his way to the bedroom. Before he turned into the hallway, a black and white cat strolled out and rubbed up against his legs. Darien reached down and picked the cat up, resting him on one arm and scratching him vigorously behind the ears with his free hand. Oscar began to vibrate in Darien’s arm with the force of his purring.

  “Like I said, I think he likes you well enough.”

  Darien carried the cat back to the couch and dropped down into it. Oscar tolerated his affection for a few seconds and then jumped out of his arms to the floor. He became preoccupied with hunting one of the many toy mice lying around.

  “Thanks. I really appreciate this.”

  “Not a problem. You should know I don’t mind.” She stretched her legs and then pulled them under herself. “So what’s the plan now?”

  “I don’t know. If I’m going to stay here, I should probably head home and get some things. It wasn’t like I was planning on being out overnight when I hoofed it over to the police station.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Why don’t you take care of that and I’ll get things ready around here. I wasn’t planning on going out tonight anyways. It’s been a long week and I want to get up early for a run.”

  “Thanks again, Suz. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Darien heaved himself out of the couch and walked over to the door to put on his shoes. He stepped out of the door, once again flinching as the toy spider dropped down in front of his face. He heard Susan chuckle behind him and shook his head as he pulled the door shut. He waved to Mark as he left the complex and walked to his car.

  With every step that he took down the street, his tension increased. The street wasn’t crowded, but there were several people on both sides of the sidewalk. Darien walked as fast as he could to his car, trying not to look over his shoulder with every step. One man stood just inside the entryway of a building, his hands tucked deep into his long overcoat. Darien’s path would take him right past the stranger. He was getting ready to confront the man when the door opened, a young woman stepped out, and the two hugged each other. Darien let out a breath and walked past the couple.

  Once he was in his car, his hands clenched and released the steering wheel several times as he reminded himself to breathe. As he started the car, Darien kept an eye on his surroundings, checking to see if any other vehicle moved to follow. He didn’t relax until he turned the corner several blocks from Susan’s apartment complex.

  When he got home, Darien parked his car and sat in the darkness, looking to see if anyone appeared to be waiting for him to return. Darien opened the door and slid out of the car, rushing up to the door to his building. As soon as he pulled it open, he was leaping up the steps, taking them three at a time. On the second floor, he froze. Someone else had entered the building after him.

  The rest of the way to his apartment was a mad dash. His keys jingled in his quaking hands as he attempted to undo the lock. When he finally did get it open, he rushed inside and slammed it shut behind him, leaning his back against it. He closed his eyes and panted, attempting to calm down. He was letting his imagination get the better of him. He needed to get some supplies and get out. And he needed to get out, he needed to escape.

  His heart continued to race. Blackness closed in around the edges of his vision. The darkness claimed him and consciousness slipped away.

  Chapter 3

  Something cold and unyielding was pressed up against Darien’s face. It was rough and pressed against his cheek hard enough to leave indentations. The chill from the ground bit into his skin and made him shiver. As he opened his eyes, he saw light from the street lamps. He recognized where he was—he
was lying on the side street that went behind his apartment. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, but the motion made him wince and press the palm of his free hand against his forehead. Deep breathing helped abate the pounding and bring it down to an inconvenient tapping. Feeling better, he used the nearby wall to ease himself to his feet.

  The change in position was too much and he collapsed down on all fours. He vomited. When his stomach stopped heaving, Darien rolled over and sat down, leaning his back against his building. Cracking his eyes open, he looked around. For the moment, he seemed to have the small street to himself. Darien waited, relaxing as much as he could, hoping the pain and dizziness would subside.

  The episodes were occurring more frequently and lasting longer. Darien used to think that it was just trouble sleeping, but now he was thinking that there might be a more serious problem. He wished he knew what the Lieutenant wasn’t telling him.

  Once he began to feel more like himself, Darien glanced at his watch. It was ten in the evening. He had been unconscious for almost three hours. He fished in his pocket for his phone. He had two missed calls and a text, all from Susan. Putting his phone away, he inched his hand up the wall until he was standing once again. His legs shook, but he remained standing.

  Darien walked forward, keeping his right arm pressed against the wall. His feet scuffed against the pavement as he made his way to the corner. When he reached it, he stopped and raised his head to look around. The street seemed abandoned except for parked cars. He hobbled to his vehicle, using the wall for support as long as he was able. He took a deep breath and pushed off the wall. He managed to take two steps before he stumbled and bruised his hand trying to catch himself. His face collided with the concrete sidewalk and blood flowed from his lips. Darien coughed and crawled the rest of the way.